Misplaced Pages

Toruń gingerbread: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 21:26, 21 January 2008 editMolobo (talk | contribs)13,968 edits restored deleted sourced info, removed OR unsupported by any sources or references, restored information as it is stated in sources-no date for spice trade , city established before 1308, trade also← Previous edit Latest revision as of 06:01, 23 December 2024 edit undoCitation bot (talk | contribs)Bots5,406,517 edits Added date. | Use this bot. Report bugs. | Suggested by Abductive | Category:Christmas food | #UCB_Category 215/288 
(111 intermediate revisions by 70 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Polish gingerbread}}
]
{{Infobox prepared food
'''Toruń gingerbread''' ({{lang-pl|pierniki toruńskie}}, {{lang-de|Thorner Lebkuchen}}),also known as ''Polish gingerbread''<ref name="Med">"Food and Drink in Medieval Poland: Rediscovering a Cuisine of the Past", Maria Dembińska 1999</ref> is is a traditional gingerbread in Polish cuisine made since Middle Ages in the city of ] (Thorn).
| name = Toruń gingerbread
| image = PL gingerbread from Torun.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Gingerbreads of different shapes
| alternate_name =
| country = ]
| region = ]
| creator =
| course =
| type = ]
| served =
| main_ingredient =
| variations =
| calories =
| other =
}}


'''Toruń gingerbread''' ({{langx|pl|pierniki toruńskie}}, {{langx|de|Thorner Lebkuchen}}) is a traditional ] ] that has been produced since the ] in the city of ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://confectionarychalet.com/docs/?page_id=327|title=History of Gingerbread - Confectionary Chalet|website=confectionarychalet.com|accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref>
==Varieties==


⚫ ==History==
*Gingerbread covered with ]: "Katarzynki" ((Catherine's gingerbread), Gingerbread hearts, Gingerbread hearts covered with chocolate
]
]
]]]
Old Polish sayings connect Toruń with making of some form of gingerbread, and the expansion of the craft, which started in the 13th century.<ref name="kopernik.com.pl">{{cite web|url=http://www.kopernik.com.pl/index2.php?id=historia&jezyk=1|title=Kopernik.com.pl|accessdate=20 June 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209210113/http://kopernik.com.pl/index2.php?id=historia&jezyk=1|archivedate=9 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kopernik.com.pl/en/24,25/dzial_torunskie_pierniki__.html|title=Toruńskie Pierniki®|first=3xW -|last=www.3xw.pl|website=www.kopernik.com.pl|accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref>


⚫ A considerable factor behind the development of gingerbread-making in Toruń was its excellent location. Situated on high-quality ], the area provided fine wheat for flour, while nearby villages provided ].<ref name="kopernik.com.pl"/> The necessary ]s were brought from remote countries, mainly ], via a route through the ] and ] to the ], where the spices were transported by north-German trade companies. Some also came by sea to the port of ].
*Filled gingerbread covered with chocolate


⚫ The very first mention of Toruń gingerbread comes from 1380 and speaks of a local baker called Niclos Czana.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icimss.edu.pl/Projekty/pierniki.htm|title=Pierniki toruńskie i nie tylko|website=www.icimss.edu.pl|accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref> The product quickly gained fame across Poland and abroad. Toruń and the city of ], itself famous for special gingerbread, were eager to protect the secrets of their recipes from each other.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voyage.pl/kulinaria/2918/z-piernika-krol|title=Z piernika król|date=18 November 2015 |publisher=|accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref> Finally in 1556, they formed an agreement by which each city could bake the specialties of the other.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wyborcza.pl/alehistoria/7,121681,21179446,pierne-ciastko-na-wzmocnienie-czlonow.html|title=Wyborcza.pl|website=wyborcza.pl|accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref>
*Gingerbread iced


⚫ The artisans were not the only ones engaged in the production of the delicacy. In the 16th century, the ] on the outskirts of Toruń prospered mainly due to this activity and even sold their product to other countries. During the 17th century, the well-known workshop of the Grauer family appeared. The city authorities were supportive of the lucrative trade and issued several tax breaks on spice imports and export by bakers' guilds so that the trade could be increased.
*Gingerbread iced, filled


⚫ In the 18th and 19th century, the city saw a fall in baking and other craftsmanship. In 1825, only three bakers were left. With the advent of ], large companies took over from the local craftsmen and mass production of the gingerbread ensued.
*Classic gingerbread


⚫ The largest factory was owned by Gustav Weese, based on tradition dating from 1763, when Johann Weese<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.torun.pl/pl/turystyka/tylko-w-toruniu/torunskie-pierniki|title=Toruńskie pierniki - www.torun.pl|website=www.torun.pl|accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref> started to bake gingerbread. Gustav Traugott Weese inherited a small workshop after his father Andreas in 1824 and changed it into a large company. In 1875 the Toruń Gazette (''Gazeta Toruńska'') wrote on ] that due to the demand it was even sold in ]. Other exotic places of export included ], ], ] and ]. In 1913, Gustav Weese, a descendant of Gustav Traugott Weese, constructed a factory which, after ] ended, was employing over 500 workers. Gustav Weese sold it in January 1939 to the Polish company "Społem" and left for his other gingerbread factory in Germany. The company in Toruń still exists and is the oldest confectionery company in Poland today and one of the oldest in the world.
*Devorative Gingerbread


⚫ Besides Weese's factory there was also the Hermann Thomas company founded in 1857, which in 1907 employed 200 workers. Another important company engaged in the production of gingerbread was founded by Jan Ruchniewicz in 1907.<ref name="otoruniu.net">{{cite web|url=http://otoruniu.net/torunscy-piernikarze-jan-ruchniewicz/|title=Toruńscy piernikarze – Jan Ruchniewicz – oToruniu.net|website=otoruniu.net|date=25 August 2012 |accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref> The enterprise prospered quite successfully and had 50 workers. It was especially known for the ornamental gingerbread topped with Toruń's crest.<ref name="otoruniu.net"/>
*Gingerbread monuments


⚫ ==Toruń gingerbread in Polish culture==
⚫ ==History==


''Pierniki Toruńskie'', as they are known in Polish, are an icon of ]. They have traditionally been presented as a gift by the city of Toruń to Polish leaders, artists and others who have distinguished themselves in Polish society, and to Polish kings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beszamel.se.pl/polskie-kuchnie-regionalne/pierniki-torunskie-dlaczego-nie-zawsze-traktowano-je-jako-przysmak,16306/|title=Pierniki toruńskie - dlaczego nie zawsze traktowano je jako przysmak?|publisher=|accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref> Baking molds survive with likenesses of king ], king ] and Queen ] as well as the royal seal with the ] and ] of several provinces.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.turystyka.torun.pl/art/242/pierniki-torunskie.html|title=Toruń, Atrakcje Torunia, Przewodnik po Toruniu, Zwiedzanie Torunia z przewodnikiem, Przewodnicy miejscy Toruń przewodnik miejski Informacja turystyczna, Zabytki i kujawsko-pomorskiego, Muzea, Historia, Pierniki toruńskie, Twierdza Toruń|first=JW Web|last=Development|website=www.turystyka.torun.pl|accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref> Other notables who have received gift gingerbread from the city include ] (French princess and widow of King ]), ] (during whose visit the whole city was illuminated and bells were rung all over the city), ] (one of Poland's ]), painter ], actress ], Marshal ], pianist ], poet ], ] and Pope ].
⚫ A considerable factor behind the development of gingerbread-making in Torun was its excellent location. Situated on high-quality ], the area provided fine wheat for flour, while nearby villages provided ]. Additionally trade routes from ] and ] that went through the city's location carried among other things exotic ].


⚫ Since at least the Middle Ages, ''pierniki'' have been connected with Toruń in Polish proverbs and legends. One legend claims that gingerbread was a gift from the Queen of the Bees to the apprentice ]. A 17th-century epigram by poet Fryderyk Hoffman speaks of the four best things in Poland: "The ] of ], Toruń gingerbread, the ladies of ], and the ] shoes".
⚫ The first mention of Torun gingerbread comes from 1380 and speaks of a local baker called ]. The product quickly gained fame across Poland and abroad. Thorn and the city of ], itself famous for special pancakes, were eager to protect the secrets of their recipes from each other. Finally in 1556, they formed an agreement by which each city could bake the specialities of the other.


The 18th-century poet and ] ], who greatly favored the gingerbread, wrote of them in his celebrated poems.
⚫ The artisans weren't the only ones engaged in the production of the delicacy. In the 16th century, the ] on the outskirts of Thorn prospered mainly due to this activity and even sold their product to other countries. During the 17th century, the well-known workshop of the Grauer family appeared. The city authorities were supportive of the lucrative trade and issued several tax breaks on spice imports and export by bakers' guilds so that the trade could be increased.


When the precocious 15-year-old composer ] visited ], a small village near the river ], he stopped over in Toruń, where he was a guest of his godfather, the ] ]. Chopin sampled the city's famous confection and grew so fond of it that he wrote a letter about it to his friends and colleagues. He even sent some to Warsaw. In honor of this, Poland's largest producer of Toruń gingerbread, the ''Kopernik Confectionery Company'', has created a special heart-shaped gingerbread called ''Scherzo'', bearing Chopin's likeness on the wrapper.
⚫ In the 18th and 19th century, the city saw a fall in baking and other craftsmanship. In 1825, only three bakers were left. With the advent of capitalism, large companies took over from the local craftsmen and mass production of the gingerbread ensued.


⚫ Toruń holds an annual celebration of gingerbread called ''Święto Piernika'' (the Gingerbread Festival).
⚫ The largest factory was owned by Gustaw Weese, based on tradition dating from 1760, when Jan Weese started to bake gingerbread. Gustaw Traugott Wesse inherited a small workshop after his father Andrzej in 1824 and changed it into a large company. In 1875 "Gazeta Toruńska" wrote on New Year's Eve that due to demand it was even sold in Africa. Other exotic places of export included ], ], ] and ]. In 1913, Gustaw Weese, a descendant of Gustaw Traugott Weese, constructed a factory which, after World War I ended, was employing over 500 workers. Gustaw Wese sold it in January 1939 to the Polish company "Społem" and left for his other gingerbread factory in Germany. The company in Toruń still exists and is the oldest confectionery company in Poland today and one of the oldest of Europe.

⚫ Besides Gustaw's factory there was also the Hermann Thomas company founded in 1857, which in 1907 employed 200 workers. Another important company engaged in the production of gingerbread was founded by ] in ]. The enterprise prospered quite successfully and had 50 workers. It was especially known for the ornamental gingerbread topped with Toruń's crest.

⚫ ==Torun gingerbread in Polish culture==

Pierniki Toruńskie, as they are known in their country of origin, form a part of the symbols of the national cuisine of Poland. They have been praised in literature, poetry, and the other ''Beaux Arts''. They were also traditionally given as a gift by the city of Toruń to Polish leaders, artists and other Poles who have marked themselves in Polish society. In the past they were also given to Polish kings. Baking moulds have survived with the likenesses of ] and his wife, ] and queen Cecylia Renata as well with the king's seal of Władysław IV with Polish eagle and royal crown together with crests of provinces. Other notable figures who received the gingerbread as gift from the city are: ] the widow of king Sobieski, bishop of Kujawy ], the ] ](during his visit the whole city was illuminated and bells were rung all over the city), ] one of the leading Polish romantics, ], ], ],],], ] and ].
⚫ Since at least the Middle Ages, "pierniki" have been connected with Toruń in Polish proverbs and legends. One of the legends claims that the gingerbread was a gift from Queen of Bees to the apprentice ].
An old epigram by poet Frederyk Hoffman from XVII century speaks of four best things in Poland:"vodka from Gdańsk, Toruń's gingerbread, ladies from Kraków, and shoes from Warsaw". ] in XVIII century wrote that if one doesn't drink vodka one is not worthy of tasting the gingerbread, and ] stated that peasants ate bread as eager as the gingerbread.
The famous polish poet ], who personally favoured pierniki, wrote about them in his poem "]". ] wrote in 1854 about a father returning from a fair to bring his children gingerbread as a gift. ] in his "Gniazdo Nieczujów" spoke of it as an exceeding noble food.
One particular story connected with Torun gingerbread involves ], the famous pianist and composer. When 15-year old Chopin visited the Dziewanowscy family in Szafarnia, a small village near the river Drwęca, he also stopped over in Toruń. He naturally sampled the city's famous confection and grew so enamoured of it that he decided to write a letter about them to his friend Jan Matuszynski. Praising the taste of the gingerbread, he even sent some to Warsaw. In honour of that particular event, the largest producer of Toruń gingerbread in Poland - the confectionary company, "Kopernik", has made a special variety of gingerbread called "Scherzo" in the shape of heart and with Chopin's portrait on the wrapping.
⚫ The town of Toruń holds a yearly celebration dedicated to the gingerbread called ] or Festival of Gingerbread.


==Current producers== ==Current producers==
]
⚫ There are two main producers of Toruń gingerbread: the confectionery factory "]" S.A., and the Toruń Bakery. The first upholds its legal rights to the brand name and is the successor to a company that was founded in 1763 by Johann Weese.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://magictravelsaroundtheworld.wordpress.com/tag/jan-weese/|title=Jan Weese - Magic Travels Around the World|website=magictravelsaroundtheworld.wordpress.com|accessdate=20 June 2017}}</ref> The second company was formed by Toruń bakers who specialized in producing gingerbread; its aim is to spread knowledge of the craft and to produce fine gingerbread for restaurants, parties and elite meetings.


==See also==
⚫ They are two main producers of Toruń gingerbread; the confectionary factory "Kopernik" S.A. and Toruń Bakery. The first upholds its legal rights to the brand name and is the successor of the company founded in 1760 by Jan Wesse, while the second is the company formed by the bakers and producers from Toruń who specialised in making gingerbread. Its aim is to spread the knowledge of the craft and produce exclusive gingerbread for restaurants, parties and elite meetings.
{{portal|Food}}
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]


==Trivia== ==References==

*The largest known Torun gingerbread was made in ] and had a size of ca. 2 m long and 0,30 m wide. It was presented to ].

*A variety of Torun gingerbread known in Polish as Katarzynki refer to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, as baking for the holiday season traditionally started in the town's monastery on her feast day, 25 November, the feast of St. Catharine. In German this variety is known as Thorner Kathrinchen.
== Sources ==
{{reflist}} {{reflist}}
*


== External links == ==External links==
{{Commons category|Pierniki Toruńskie}}
*
* {{pl icon}} * Kopernik S.A.: largest Torun gingerbread maker
* {{in lang|pl}} , Torun bakery
* {{de icon}} , weihnachtsseiten.de * {{in lang|de}} , recipes
* {{en icon}} {{pl icon}} {{de icon}} * {{in lang|en|pl|de}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Torun gingerbread}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Torun Gingerbread}}
] ]
] ]
] ]
]

]
]
]

Latest revision as of 06:01, 23 December 2024

Polish gingerbread
Toruń gingerbread
Gingerbreads of different shapes
TypeBiscuit
Place of originPoland
Region or stateToruń

Toruń gingerbread (Polish: pierniki toruńskie, German: Thorner Lebkuchen) is a traditional Polish gingerbread that has been produced since the Middle Ages in the city of Toruń.

History

Traditional wooden gingerbread mold
Example of a wooden gingerbread mold
Museum of Toruń Gingerbread

Old Polish sayings connect Toruń with making of some form of gingerbread, and the expansion of the craft, which started in the 13th century.

A considerable factor behind the development of gingerbread-making in Toruń was its excellent location. Situated on high-quality soil, the area provided fine wheat for flour, while nearby villages provided honey. The necessary spices were brought from remote countries, mainly India, via a route through the Black Sea and Lwów to the Holy Roman Empire, where the spices were transported by north-German trade companies. Some also came by sea to the port of Gdańsk.

The very first mention of Toruń gingerbread comes from 1380 and speaks of a local baker called Niclos Czana. The product quickly gained fame across Poland and abroad. Toruń and the city of Nuremberg, itself famous for special gingerbread, were eager to protect the secrets of their recipes from each other. Finally in 1556, they formed an agreement by which each city could bake the specialties of the other.

The artisans were not the only ones engaged in the production of the delicacy. In the 16th century, the Cistercian Order on the outskirts of Toruń prospered mainly due to this activity and even sold their product to other countries. During the 17th century, the well-known workshop of the Grauer family appeared. The city authorities were supportive of the lucrative trade and issued several tax breaks on spice imports and export by bakers' guilds so that the trade could be increased.

In the 18th and 19th century, the city saw a fall in baking and other craftsmanship. In 1825, only three bakers were left. With the advent of capitalism, large companies took over from the local craftsmen and mass production of the gingerbread ensued.

The largest factory was owned by Gustav Weese, based on tradition dating from 1763, when Johann Weese started to bake gingerbread. Gustav Traugott Weese inherited a small workshop after his father Andreas in 1824 and changed it into a large company. In 1875 the Toruń Gazette (Gazeta Toruńska) wrote on New Year's Eve that due to the demand it was even sold in Africa. Other exotic places of export included Turkey, Japan, China and Honolulu. In 1913, Gustav Weese, a descendant of Gustav Traugott Weese, constructed a factory which, after World War I ended, was employing over 500 workers. Gustav Weese sold it in January 1939 to the Polish company "Społem" and left for his other gingerbread factory in Germany. The company in Toruń still exists and is the oldest confectionery company in Poland today and one of the oldest in the world.

Besides Weese's factory there was also the Hermann Thomas company founded in 1857, which in 1907 employed 200 workers. Another important company engaged in the production of gingerbread was founded by Jan Ruchniewicz in 1907. The enterprise prospered quite successfully and had 50 workers. It was especially known for the ornamental gingerbread topped with Toruń's crest.

Toruń gingerbread in Polish culture

Pierniki Toruńskie, as they are known in Polish, are an icon of Poland's national cuisine. They have traditionally been presented as a gift by the city of Toruń to Polish leaders, artists and others who have distinguished themselves in Polish society, and to Polish kings. Baking molds survive with likenesses of king Sigismund III of Poland, king Władysław IV Vasa and Queen Cecilia Renata as well as the royal seal with the Polish eagle and crests of several provinces. Other notables who have received gift gingerbread from the city include Marie Casimire Louise (French princess and widow of King John III Sobieski), Napoléon Bonaparte (during whose visit the whole city was illuminated and bells were rung all over the city), Zygmunt Krasiński (one of Poland's Three Bards), painter Jan Matejko, actress Helena Modjeska, Marshal Józef Piłsudski, pianist Artur Rubinstein, poet Czesław Miłosz, Lech Wałęsa and Pope John Paul II.

Since at least the Middle Ages, pierniki have been connected with Toruń in Polish proverbs and legends. One legend claims that gingerbread was a gift from the Queen of the Bees to the apprentice Bogumił. A 17th-century epigram by poet Fryderyk Hoffman speaks of the four best things in Poland: "The vodka of Gdańsk, Toruń gingerbread, the ladies of Kraków, and the Warsaw shoes".

The 18th-century poet and fabulist Ignacy Krasicki, who greatly favored the gingerbread, wrote of them in his celebrated poems.

When the precocious 15-year-old composer Frédéric Chopin visited Szafarnia, a small village near the river Drwęca, he stopped over in Toruń, where he was a guest of his godfather, the penologist Fryderyk Florian Skarbek. Chopin sampled the city's famous confection and grew so fond of it that he wrote a letter about it to his friends and colleagues. He even sent some to Warsaw. In honor of this, Poland's largest producer of Toruń gingerbread, the Kopernik Confectionery Company, has created a special heart-shaped gingerbread called Scherzo, bearing Chopin's likeness on the wrapper.

Toruń holds an annual celebration of gingerbread called Święto Piernika (the Gingerbread Festival).

Current producers

Interior of a Toruń gingerbread-dedicated shop in Poland

There are two main producers of Toruń gingerbread: the confectionery factory "Kopernik" S.A., and the Toruń Bakery. The first upholds its legal rights to the brand name and is the successor to a company that was founded in 1763 by Johann Weese. The second company was formed by Toruń bakers who specialized in producing gingerbread; its aim is to spread knowledge of the craft and to produce fine gingerbread for restaurants, parties and elite meetings.

See also

References

  1. "History of Gingerbread - Confectionary Chalet". confectionarychalet.com. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  2. ^ "Kopernik.com.pl". Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  3. www.3xw.pl, 3xW -. "Toruńskie Pierniki®". www.kopernik.com.pl. Retrieved 20 June 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. "Pierniki toruńskie i nie tylko". www.icimss.edu.pl. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  5. "Z piernika król". 18 November 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  6. "Wyborcza.pl". wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  7. "Toruńskie pierniki - www.torun.pl". www.torun.pl. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Toruńscy piernikarze – Jan Ruchniewicz – oToruniu.net". otoruniu.net. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  9. "Pierniki toruńskie - dlaczego nie zawsze traktowano je jako przysmak?". Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  10. Development, JW Web. "Toruń, Atrakcje Torunia, Przewodnik po Toruniu, Zwiedzanie Torunia z przewodnikiem, Przewodnicy miejscy Toruń przewodnik miejski Informacja turystyczna, Zabytki i kujawsko-pomorskiego, Muzea, Historia, Pierniki toruńskie, Twierdza Toruń". www.turystyka.torun.pl. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  11. "Jan Weese - Magic Travels Around the World". magictravelsaroundtheworld.wordpress.com. Retrieved 20 June 2017.

External links

Categories: